Tell the EPA NO Genetically Modified Mosquitoes!

Right now, a British company named Oxitec is planning to release genetically modified mosquitoes into the fragile enviroment of the Florida Keys and Texas. The company wants to use the Florida Keys and Texas as a testing ground for these mutant bugs. Even though the local community in the Florida Keys has spoken -- we even passed an ordinance demanding more testing -- First , Oxitec is trying to use a loophole by applying to the FDA for an "animal bug" patent. Now, the hot potato has passed to the EPA and Oxitec is at it again. This profit driven biotech company wants to release more than 50 million GMO mosquitoes per week into Florida and Texas. These GMO mosquitoes could pose major risks to fragile ecosystems like the Florida Keys and Texas and may pose risks to public health and safety.

Once again, Oxitec wants to treat people like human experiments. Even though the EPA doesn’t have enough information about the environmental, health and even indirect economic impacts of these insects, it might give Oxitec the green light. Over the past several years, we all raised our voices to help stop what would’ve been the first release of millions of GMO mosquitoes in the U.S. Now, we need to stop this non-consensual experiment again!

“Tell the EPA to not approve the GMO mosquito”

“We do not consent to being a human experiment and we do not want GMO mosquitoes"

Over 30 local physicians, have created a petition to ask for more evaluation of the risk of this GMO mosquito antibiotic dependency mosquitoes and the possible development of antibiotic resistance risks as result of this experiment. This GMO Mosquitoes are created with E-Coli bacteria, herpes-simplex virus and other ingredients. This is very premature technology with very little information, a lot of questions need to be answer. The Center for Disease Control notes that Oxitec’s trials are not set up to test for disease reduction. If the experiments goes forward, there would still be enough non-GMO mosquitoes in the environment, including in peoples’ homes and backyards, to spread disease. Even the head of Cayman Islands, which recently rejected GMO mosquitoes, has said that GMO mosquitoes will not be a solution for Zika and Dengue Fever. This is a medical intervention without consent. We need real solutions, not GMO mosquitoes.

Oxitec applied to the FDA as an animal drug it took years to decide and now a huge overwhelm opposition to pass the “hot potato” to the EPA. Now, Oxitec applied the mosquitoes as a pesticide with very little information on the release to the public and to the scientist for doing a proper evaluation.

British Biotech Oxitec has not been very transparent and demonstrate desprecua? In the data, including reduction of percentage of mosquitoes, survival rates, life span and more females per percentage.

This is very concerning because in this new experiment we are talking over 50 Million of mosquitoes per week, 7 days a week which will equal to billions of GM mosquitoes between Florida and Harris County, Texas.The data of the government of Cayman where this GMO mosquitoes has been released twice, is very different thank what Oxitec has been claiming.A lot of questions need to be answered including the solid evidence of the environmental effect inn ature, public health and safety.

We need to stop the experiment and say NO to releasing GMO mosquitoes!Please help my family and my community, residents of Harris County (Texas) and everyone of us to protect our environment, our health, and to focus on real solutions.

This could mean these mutant mosquitoes could be released at any point against the wishes of locals and the scientific community. We need to make sure the EPA does not approve Oxitec's patent. Nearly all experiments with genetically-modified crops have eventually resulted in unintended consequences: superweeds more resistant to herbicides, mutated and resistant insects also collateral damage to ecosystems. A recent news story reported that the monarch butterfly population is down by half in areas where Roundup Ready GM crops are doused with ultra-high levels of herbicides that wipe out the monarch's favorite milkweed plant. What about our native species of Florida Keys Bats. Are there any studies being conducted to see if these mosquitoes will harm the native bat population? Why would we not expect GM (genetically modified) insects, especially those that bite humans, to have similar unintended negative consequences? Will the more virulent Asian tiger mosquito that also carries dengue fill the void left by reductions in A. aegypti? Will the dengue virus mutate (think antibiotic resistant MRSA) and become even more dangerous? There are more questions than answers and we need more testing to be done. Will the public be able to stop this program from happening if we don't want it? We were told that "public opinion would be taken into account." Dengue fever has been absent from the Florida Keys for years, which indicates the current methods of control and public education are working. What's the rush for this radical approach? Where is the third-party, peer-reviewed research on effectiveness and safety of GM mosquitoes other than Oxitec's own claims of success? There is other alternatives more natural, no risk, faster and cheaper. Don't let Oxitec bully our community! We say no to genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys and Texas.